8 TIPS FOR MOVING ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Moving is my absolute least favorite thing to do. I love to travel but actually moving is a whole different story and it’s terrible. It’s time consuming and such a hassle to pack everything up just to unpack it all soon after. All of your belongings are in boxes and you can never find where anything is. Something always breaks or arrives scratched no matter how well you packed it, and there’s that whole setting up a new home and finding out where everything belongs thing. Plus, I’m super impatient (I tend to say “go-getter”) and like things to be organized, so when I move I prefer to have things unpacked and set up within days. Yes, I know this sounds unrealistic but I’ve got goals, okay?

Well, we recently moved from Nashville, Tennessee to Denver, Colorado which I know is not from one coast to the other but in my mind it’s across the country… from the South to the West. It was a 20 hour drive and we split it up over 2 days. We stopped in Kansas along the way, stayed in a hotel, then hopped back on the road early the next morning to finish the 10 hour drive.

Let me just tell you right now that it was an adventure. So much so that I have a few tips for you if you’re ever planning on moving across the country or even just a couple states away.

1. MAKE SURE YOU PACK AN OVERNIGHT BAG

You’re packing your life up in boxes so put aside some clothing and toiletry items in a separate bag that you may need over the next few days.

2. TAKE CARE OF VEHICLE MAINTENANCE

Get an oil change and your car checked out before you hit the road

Make sure the tires on your car are in good shape and can handle a lot of miles to be put on them. If they’re close to needing to be replaced, just go ahead and do it.

If you’ll be driving for long distances and pulling a trailer, watch your gauges to make sure your car doesn’t overheat. It will be a lot more susceptible to this and very costly to fix.

3. ACCOUNT FOR MOVING EXPENSES

These expenses tend to just pop up one after the other so be as prepared as you can be. Here’s some to consider:

Trailer or truck rental (like a Uhaul)

Extra gas money – if you’re hauling a trailer and/or your car is weighed down by boxes, you’ll get less mpg

Hotel stay when you’re stopping along the way

Setting up utilities at your new home along with their “connection fees”

Housing deposits

Eating out the first few days before you can get to the grocery

4. IF YOU’RE TRAVELING WITH A DOG LIKE WE DO, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THESE THINGS:

It all started with a simple Google search.
My buddy, Cameron, and I were procrastinating studying for our law school finals when we started daydreaming about a getaway.

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